Manchester lunch reccos invited

[malcolmwilliamson]

I will be visiting Manchester on a rail awayday late January.

I've never visited the area before and can't find much advice on this forum.

Can anyone recommend somewhere within 1/2 hour or so of Piccadilly?

Thank you.

[martinwa]

The best food in Manchester has always been Chinese. I grew up there and the favourites were The Yang Sing and The Kwok Man. I haven't lived there for 25 years but on a visit just before Christmas was delighted to see The Yang Sing still there and packed. And there's Red Chilli a Sichuan on Portland Street. Always fab.

I was taken to The Grill On The Alley. Not exactly mod Brit but crispy calamari and fine steaks were had by all. Good wine list.

Juniper in Altrincham might be pushing the half hour limit but it's right up your mod brit street and you can get there on the tram which is always fun.

The Lowry Hotel. Haven't eaten there myself yet. Expensive steel and glass tower is a bit off putting for me.

[thom]

I will be visiting Manchester on a rail awayday late January.

I've never visited the area before and can't find much advice on this forum.

Can anyone recommend somewhere within 1/2 hour or so of Piccadilly?

Thank you.

←

Oh my goodness can we ever! I can't believe I got here first out of all the Mancunians/adopted Mancunian's on here... You're slacking lads! Or, actually maybe you're working too hard.

First thing's first, "30 mins from Piccadilly" covers the whole of the city centre plus all the interesting suburbs of gastronomic note (Didsbury, Chorlton etc) - In short, Manchester is your oyster.

Second things uhmmm second - forget French. Apart from the impressive but slightly Miss Haversham-esque French at the Midland we Manc's just haven't taken to French cuisine. Actually, if you simply mean classical formal dining then The River Restaurant at the Lowry hotel, for example, can hit the heights but for more accessible and affordable French brasserie-style dining forget it.

So, we're down to Modern British. Here we do well. To be honest as with London there are a ton of places claiming to be cooking in such a fashion, and also as per London it can be a mixed bag. There is though one place I would heartily recommend, though only after flagging up my vested interest in the place.

It is The Modern, which is in the old Le Mont site at Urbis, Manchester's musuem of city life and city culture. It has recently launched, and pretty much nails British cooking, with exemplary sourcing (especially of local produce), gutsy dishes (monkfish with oxtail) and slick if unpretentious surrounds.

The Modern

Service is warm and friendly, the wine list is great and the bar upstairs is a fine place to hole up for an afternoon (merging into evening...). It's USP though is the fact that it is perched up in the top of it's iconic host building, meaning you have some great views across the city, which are particularly spectacular at night.

Yes, yes, yes I say again I am involved with the Urbis board, but quite apart from that I was there last week, I'm dining there with family on Saturday, and I will be back there again next week. It's modern (by name), it's undoubtably British, and it's really rather good.

I'm planning to post a proper review after my dinner this weekend, but hopefully the bunf above gives you a feel for what to expect. Aside from the odd rough edge here and there (it is still early days) the only downside is that until the proper press launch later this month it's lack of street-front visibility means it can be quiet at lunches.

personally, I like the peace and quiet...

Cheers

Thom

Edit: Ok, I was second dammit, I was second...

Edited January 11, 2008 by thom (log)

[BertieWooster]

There is though one place I would heartily recommend, though only after flagging up my vested interest in the place.

It is The Modern, which is in the old Le Mont site at Urbis, Manchester's musuem of city life and city culture.

Yes, yes, yes I say again I am involved with the Urbis board,

He's involved with the Board, but he still doesn't get the branding right. Museum, indeed. Harrumph.

*Admits to also having a professional interest in T'Modern*

Still, its very good. Especially the monkfish. And the JOhn Dory. Actually, the latter is one of those dishes thats so simply and effectively constructed it simply rejects gastronomic flights of fancy. Damn. Good. And the cocktails aren't bad either.

Otherwise on the modern British, there's the City INn which is very near Piccadilly. Excellent food, but its a hotel, which means it can be a little cavernous. The Market Restaurant in the NOrthern Quarter used to be my favourite place in the city. ITs like a seventies throwback, but lovely nosh.

If you're prepared for a trip, there's Juniper of course, which tests the 30 minutes I would think, or Jem&I in Didisbury, which, despite the awful name, is an excellent bistro-ish type place. Heathcote's new Grado in the city centre is also worth mentioning, spanish tapas-y, getting rave reviews.

Edited January 11, 2008 by BertieWooster (log)

[Andy Lynes]

Perhaps it might be easier to find out which of our Northern brethren hasn't got a professional connection with The Modern.

[BertieWooster]

think its just us two.

Course, somebody might be hiding under a nom-de-plume, but that would never do.

[thom]

Perhaps it might be easier to find out which of our Northern brethren hasn't got a professional connection with The Modern.

←

Oh oh, somebody is feeling left out...

Oh alright then, you can be connected to The Modern too.

You can be our official tame Southerner.

Cheers

Thom

[Gary Marshall]

well the modern must be good 'cause thom is tempting bapi and i over there for lunch sometime and he knows how quickly my toys will be out of the pram if it 'aint right.

Hopefully it will actually be serving food unlike the venue of the first lunch we left thom in charge of arranging

personally i think a trip to the www.buyartfair.co.uk show and lunch at the modern would be a most splendid day out

[Anne Benson]

I really enjoyed a meal at the City Inn recently, though as has been pointed out as a hotel it can feel a bit empty. But it was vrey good.

Heading for The Modenr soon I hope to meet Thom so looking forward to that.

[ben mcmayon]

how bout raymond blancs bistro franchise le petit blanc which when i ate there last year was good french bistro with a good price tag!!!

http://www.brasserieblanc.com/menus/brasse...dinner-menu.pdf

the current menu

Edited January 13, 2008 by ben mcmayon (log)

[thom]

how bout raymond blancs bistro franchise le petit blanc which when i ate there last year was good french bistro with a good price tag!!!

http://www.brasserieblanc.com/menus/brasse...dinner-menu.pdf

the current menu

←

I quite liked it back in the day but I must admit it really went off when Blanc dumped the business and Loch Fyne took over - they had a huge staff turnover and the quality was all over the place. That said, a couple of people have been and said it was good recently so we shall see.

Not Modern British or French but as noted Grado is well worth considering. Fantastic tapas bar by Paul Heathcote which completely wrong-footed me by being a very serious one-off restaurant rather than the first of a mid-market roll-out. Strange Picadilly location, slick surrounds, wonderful winelist and some great tapas dishes (like octopus with baby capers and beautiful grilled quail).

City Cafe is another favourite of mine. In fact we had our company Christmas do there and the chef, David Gale (ex Nico, Soho House, Rosetti, Selfridges etc) excelled himself - he is one of Manchester's finest. The decor is classy if bland, and it can be quiet but the food is excellent. Thoughtful dishes which are simple yet clever - monkfish bhajis are my most recent favourite, and some nicely sourced ingredients.

Oh, and to give you an idea of the mentality of the chef he accomodated a veggie at our Christmas do by making the centrepoint of the meal (we had a completely bespoke menu created on the night of about twelve to fifteen courses) the most spectacular potato/butter pie I have ever had. British peasant food at it's best!

Finally, I did indeed go to The Modern last night and is was absolutely spot on. Excellent. A great night. Expect a full review tomorrow.

Cheers

Thom

Edited January 13, 2008 by thom (log)

[thom]

well the modern must be good 'cause thom is tempting bapi and i over there for lunch sometime and he knows how quickly my toys will be out of the pram if it 'aint right.

Hopefully it will actually be serving food unlike the venue of the first lunch we left thom in charge of arranging 

personally i think a trip to the www.buyartfair.co.uk show and lunch at the modern would be a most splendid day out 

←

Shameless shilling on my behalf - Cheers Mr Marshall! Buy Art Fair doesn't take place till October, but yes, I think Gary is spot on in suggesting that a day spent perusing some fine contemporary art before retiring to The Modern for dinner would be time well spent.

And you just won't let it lie regarding my previous choice of venue will you? It was a last minute option, and it was full of braying bufoons in pinstripe suits. I thought you'd like it!

And as for The Modern, I know you will like it. A lot. So pull your finger out and get your diary in order. Sort out your sidekick too. Where is the Bapster anyway, it's been awful quiet around here without him. Go on, pick a date. First round is on me.

Cheers

Thom

[Bapi]

No, no- I am still here.

Yes- I am up for it for sure. Email me and we'll get a date sorted. It bloody be better than Panacea. Look at the cocking mess of the menu. No wonder Gary spat his dummy out. Just look at how many dfferent countries the menu dishes comprise of.

Edited January 14, 2008 by Bapi (log)

[thom]

No, no- I am still here.

Yes- I am up for it for sure. Email me and we'll get a date sorted. It bloody be better than Panacea. Look at the cocking mess of the menu. No wonder Gary spat his dummy out.   Just look at how many dfferent countries the menu dishes comprise of.

←

I'm hungry, to be honest I could eat quite a few things off that menu.

Anyway it was owned by Gary's mate, it was the new place in town, it is full of beautiful people and/or footballers attacking each other in front of papperazzi (sp?), you can get your Caesar salad with or without anchovies - what's not to like, it sounds right up your street?

On top of that, you seem to have conviniently failed to recall that the old standby I took you to - Mr Thomas' Chophouse - was met with universal approval! In fact, on our last Manchester jaunt I seem to remember you enjoying each and every one of my venue choices, even those that didn't serve food.

I feel compelled to relive what was a hugely enjoyable afternoon/evening/night/early hours of the next morning by posting a detailed blow-by-blow review. Suffice to say we started off at the Michelin starred Juniper, and then followed the traditional drink-fuelled arc from high culture to low...

I'm not one to point the finger but it was Bapi's fault.

Cheers

Thom

[BertieWooster]

yes, yes, but write your review already...

[ajnicholls]

Panacea, fuck me!

[Gary Marshall]

I feel compelled to relive what was a hugely enjoyable afternoon/evening/night/early hours of the next morning by posting a detailed blow-by-blow review. Suffice to say we started off at the Michelin starred Juniper, and then followed the traditional drink-fuelled arc from high culture to low...

I'm not one to point the finger but it was Bapi's fault.

←

agreed, well that's what i told mrs m.

[thom]

Anyhow, I went to The Modern this Saturday with my better half, my dad and his partner. It was smashing (vested interest etc etc).

We arrived at 8:30 (me two VERY swift pints to the good after having watched United spank Newcastle 6:0) and were seated in the comfortable bar with a couple of Pilsner Urquells for us blokes and a Mint Fizz (Elderflower, mint, apple, soda) for the girls. You'd normally expect a slick Manchester city centre bar to be packed to the rafters on a Saturday night, but although The Modern had a nice buzz we were still able to grab some seats. This is partly due to the fact that the official media launch has yet to take place (meaning so far it is a destination only for the more intrepid or clued-up) and partly because there is an emphasis on laid-back table service rather than a scrum at the bar.

Darkness had well and truly fallen and being on the topmost floor of the building (Urbis, which isn't a museum) meant there was a fabulous city centre view to take in as we drank. Although the city-scape was unmistakably Mancunian (The Corn Exchange, The Big Wheel, the distant Beetham Tower) it actually had a feeling of being slightly detached from the city which you often find in the better class of hotel bars. I really rather liked it. Starving as we were we asked to be shepherded to the restaurant on the floor below. We got a rather fine table right in the "prow" of the building, meaning we retained the excellent views (a choice spot I'm sure eGulleteers could wangle for themselves). Menus were promptly brought and the only minor blip from our warm and professional waitress was confidently handing over a specials menu which was completely blank.

As mentioned elsewhere the point of The Modern is that as the dining room of Urbis, with it's emphasis on the city culture of Manchester (and further afield), it should be a standard bearer for local and regional produce and local and regional dishes. I think the menu nails it with Reg Johnson's duck, Chat Moss herbs and Chelsford beef all represented, as well as the ubiquitous Morecambe Bay shrimps, Mrs Kirkhams cheeses, Goosnargh chicken etc etc. Oh, and the fantastic High Peak lamb comes from my local award-winning butchers, Mettricks (did I ever tell you about them?) and though you won't believe me the restaurant team found them through their own initiative, rather than through me force-feeding them pro-Mettricks propaganda like foie gras geese.

I must stress at this point that although we came here for a good meal, the night was more about the company and good old fashioned nattering than being uber-food-nerds. When you have two small children you realise you rarely get to engage in simple adult conversation (either sophisticated or just plain rude) as you always have squawking, trouser-leg tugging infants in attendance. The meal was our attempt to redress the balance, and thus, criminally in the eyes of eGulleteers I’m sure, my recall of the subtleties of each dish may be lacking slightly. And I didn't take pictures...

Starters were Reg Johnson's smoked duck salad (for me) with the rest of the party opting for roast scallops with bacon (not the black pudding version listed on the website menu) and parsley sauce and... bollocks... I can't remember the others... I'm tempted to say another set of scallops, and possibly the Jeruselem artichoke and rosemary soup with chanterelles. I told you I was too busy talking! The duck for me was one of the highpoints of the meal. I admit it is the third time in a row I've had it as a starter, but although variety is the spice of life so is knowing when you are onto a good thing. Beautiful tender meat with a rich little strip of fat, a subtle smoke and warm lentils cooked in a tasty stock and tipped over crisp salad leaves.

The scallops were also excellent. They were simply served on mash, tightly wrapped in good crisped bacon, and with a pleasing though unpretentious dribble of sauce around them. The general feel at the table was that is was a long time since we had scallops which were cooked so well and presented so simply. So many menus recently seem keen to smother them in strong or exotic flavours and so it was a pleasure to have them combined with nothing more than spuds, bacon and parsley. Low-fi cooking maybe, but trickier to get right than it looks and the sign of a confident kitchen.

Oh, bread was good too - lovely flavour, good texture. White, and brown, and... that's it. I like whacky bread as much as the next person (recent interesting experiences include muesli bread and curry bread) but actually being offered simple crisp warm rolls in two clear variations was a refreshing change in this era of over-facing choices.

Mains were the roast monkfish, oxtail, girolles and red wine (me, again a regular choice) whereas the rest of the party went with the grilled john dory with roast salsify, loch fyne mussels, razor clams and a champagne sauce; the slow roasted saddle of Herdwick lamb, braised shallots, confit garlic and creamed spinach; and the chargrilled ribeye with braised onions, a red wine and bonemarrow jus and fat cut chips.

The monkfish is a delight. Served on the bone it's a hefty portion and needless to say I tend to pile it on the fork slathered in oxtail and the reduced red wine as if it were gravy. Delish. The lamb (which I sampled) was also excellent with a well judged liquor (intense, but without the overpowering flavours you often get with roast winter veg) and garlic cloves still in their skins. The steak was a beast but was medium rare on the button, and declared "delicious". The dish was short of any sort of greens so although the portion was huge it would have been better if the waitress has pointed out that a side or two (we didn't need any for the other dishes) would add balance. The John Dory? I missed it completely, but the recipient declared it one of the best dishes she has eaten in years (though she was a bit overexcited as she doesn't get out much).

By puddings we were flagging, so obviously we piled in anyway (except my dad, who is a wuss). The quince tart (which I had eaten previously) was perfect - tender fruit, nice sweet/sharp balance and light, crisp pastry). Personally I went for the cheeses, and God knows I can't recall them now though in my defense I'm pretty sure the waitress didn't identify them in the first place. They were served in smallish wedges which initially seemed a bit skimpy but were actually pretty well judged. The accompanying Chorley cakes were intriguing (kind of shortbread with caraway seeds - my Prestonian girlfriend hadn't heard of them before) and they could have been dry except for dipping in the honey. The third dessert again escapes me (note to self – Must try harder).

Oh, drinks. With only two and half of us drinking we followed the beers with an all-purpose Huia Pinot Gris (£30) which we nursed through the meal and which did the job well. The waitress was confident enough to guide us around the wine-list and guided us away from a comparable but, in her opinion, lesser choice.

It was a delight to see the place fully booked as although well-judged the fit-out is simple and clean rather than intimate and cozy - to offset the compelling view - meaning diners can feel a little exposed in a quiet service. That said, you can always hole up at the bar if numbers are light because the bar menu is also excellent (and you can get fish-finger sandwiches!).

All in all the damage was, I think, around £130. Very good value for the standard of food, service and surroundings. I don’t know the chef but his pedigree is good (Harvey Nichols in London, possibly L’odeon) without being outstanding. His last stint was at the Individual Restaurant Company (Piccolino, Restaurant Bar and Grill et al) which although a slick and successful operation does require chefs to work as cogs in a machine. The Modern gives the impression of a talented chef, spreading his wings and starting to enjoy himself again. His passion for the produce shone through.

My dad, a man of many words (ex journalist, and you know what they are like...) summed it up by saying the presentation was "fantastic without being prissy" and that there were "simple combinations of great produce with gutsy cooking and not too much fucking about". I know that this pretty much nails the intended ethos of The Modern and if success is measured in terms of achieving the aims you set out for yourself them I think The Modern is a winner. I eat here not because of my links to the business, but because it is exactly the kind of restaurant that I enjoy eating in, and exactly the kind of restaurant that Manchester needed.

Final point - It is still a bitch to find (my dad wants to return but didn't think he could find it unaided). The expensively architected building is (like so many expensively architected buildings) an operational nightmare, and access to the restaurant is via an almost invisible sliding door on the Corporation St side of the building. This lack of visibility and lack of connection to the city (it's a 5/6 floor lift-ride away) is the only thing that can hold back The Modern, and I know the team are looking to alleviate the problem.

The Modern

Cheers

Thom

Edited January 15, 2008 by thom (log)

[nikkib]

anyone else got feedback on grado? Am coming up this week and plan to eat at the modern (lunch) and was looking for somewhere to go early evening (near picadilly - train to catch at 8pm) for a bite to eat and some drinks - Grado seems to fit the bill but is is any good?

[Gary Marshall]

on my experience, it fits the bill, but it isn't really much good.

red chilli is not that far from the train station either, though obviously likely to be a more substantial bite.

there's the danish place on the corner of picadilly gardens too, KRO, that might work in a light bite stylee

[thom]

anyone else got feedback on grado? Am coming up this week and plan to eat at the modern (lunch) and was looking for somewhere to go early evening (near picadilly - train to catch at 8pm) for a bite to eat and some drinks - Grado seems to fit the bill but is is any good?

←

Not sure if you have seen the posts on The Modern thread? A huge amount of ground gets covered, including a couple of missives on Grado.

To sum up simply it's a neat concept, lovely space, great winelist and decent menu but... after a very good start the consistency has gone out of the window. And, it's not cheap.

I had two great meals there in the early days, and the Guardian Guide and MEN (and I think Metro) also gave it excellent reviews. I then went with Jay Rayner (Angel of Restaurant Death and general Banshee of Culinary Mediocrity) and it was all over the place.

Some really good dishes, some really poor. Machine cut and chilled Iberico ham moved us almost to tears. Not of joy. Subsequent meals have been similarly up and down (though generally of a better standard) and most of the local movers and shakers seem to agree it's patchy.

That said, I still kind of like it. You can eat tapas and excellent hand-cut (if you're lucky) ham at a nice bar and drink good wine and/or sherry. I just like the feel of the place. It's become a bit of a pre-football haunt for me and a colleague (well it was that or Wetherspoons).

So I say give it a go. Maybe. If this hasn't put you off.

Cheers

Thom

[thom]

on my experience, it fits the bill, but it isn't really much good.

red chilli is not that far from the train station either, though obviously likely to be a more substantial bite.

there's the danish place on the corner of picadilly gardens too, KRO, that might work in a light bite stylee

←

Red Chilli - Joy. A restaurant so good that it even got Gary to eat pig's maw.

Kro Bar - Great for a beer or indeed a drink of any sort, but the food is shocking.

Cheers

Thom

[ernustus]

stanneylands restaurant in stanneylands hotel, wilmslow

ote=thom,Feb 26 2008, 01:49 PM]

on my experience, it fits the bill, but it isn't really much good.

red chilli is not that far from the train station either, though obviously likely to be a more substantial bite.

there's the danish place on the corner of picadilly gardens too, KRO, that might work in a light bite stylee

←

Red Chilli - Joy. A restaurant so good that it even got Gary to eat pig's maw.

Kro Bar - Great for a beer or indeed a drink of any sort, but the food is shocking.

Cheers

Thom

←

[Gary Marshall]

ah yes, wilmslow, very convenient for the station

[nikkib]

i will eventually get to stanleylands - have you got a new menu yet? This is just a flying visit hence being confined to City centre......... Not sure i can stomach red chilli at 6pm so looks like it will be grado for now...